“The great god Zeus had many remarkable children and each became known for their special talents.”

 Characters do things. They feel things. They hear things. They say things. They think things. They go places.  They can walk, run, leap, and jump. They may sit and rock in a rocking chair. They may just lie in bed, sleep, and dream.

 In ancient Greek narratives, human beings were said to have been created in the image of the gods, although the stories do not agree as to whether it was Zeus himself or a Titan named Prometheus who actually created them. Of all mortal creatures, human beings were thought to stand upright so that they could gaze up at the heavens while most animals gazed down at the earth.

 As we read the myth of Prometheus, make a list about his special areas of interest and talents. Think about what his character traits are.  What traits are of those of a god, and those of a human? List these.  What were Prometheus’ faults? How did these cause his downfall? Did Prometheus remind you of anyone you know? Was his personality made up of good traits, bad traits, or both? Why?

 How did the gift of fire change humans’ lives?

 The gift of the “fire of the immortals” was more than a gift of light and heat. The fire stolen by Prometheus represented the ability to reason. What is the “light of reason”? What is an “enlightened” person? State Prometheus’s traits and explain why you would use these terms to describe him. What other words would describe him? Suppose Prometheus had taught humans how to make rain? How might he have done this? How would humans have been affected? Would Zeus have been angry?  After Zeus had punished Prometheus, he decided to teach human beings a lesson. He created a girl named Pandora to help him with his plan.

 From the myth video we watched a couple weeks ago, write down all you can remember of “Pandora’s Box”

 To punish humans for all the crimes of Prometheus, Zeus ordered that the gods make an equal creature to both delight and torment them. They made Pandora (whose name means “the gift of all the gods”), the first woman. Zeus put her among men, with a jar that she had instructions not to open.

 How does curiosity get the better of Pandora?  Pandora opened the jar, and out poured all the illness and grief's of the world. What are the grief's of the world? What remained inside the box? What lesson does this narrative teach? How was Pandora’s curiosity similar to your own ?